Joy Linwood Wilson Obituary

Joy Linwood Ovington Wilson, age 89, of Pataskala, Ohio, passed away after a lengthy illness on Monday, September 28, 2026. She was born on July 27, 1937, in Santa Barbara, California to the late Kester and Dorothy Holmes Ovington.

Joy moved with her Mom to Pennsylvania during grade school and graduated from Meadville High School in 1955. She married her high school sweetheart and they raised their family while he served in the US Air Force. They moved several times and ultimately settled in Columbus, Ohio in 1966. She held different part-time jobs while her children were in school and ultimately retired after many hardworking years as the secretary to the principal at Walnut Ridge High School.

Joy is survived by her loving husband of 68 years, Wayne Wilson; children, Deborah (Charlie) Wilson-Potts, Jeffrey (Janice) Wilson, and Gary Wilson; grandchildren, Lauren (1st Lieutenant Jacob) Romanyak and Douglas Potts; great-granddaughter, Madelyn Romanyak; and a host of other family, friends, and loved ones. Over the years she became a second mom and grandmother to many of the young people in her life and she made easy friends with anyone who was fortunate enough to cross her path. In addition to her parents, Joy is preceded in passing by her best friend, Jeanne Lundahl.

The family wishes to thank the many caregivers who supported Joy and the family over the last year from Mount Carmel Home Health, Smith's Mill Health Campus and Transitions Hospice.

A memorial gathering and celebration of life will be held at a later date at Kauber-Fraley Funeral Home. In lieu of sending flowers, the family requests you plant a tree or flower in remembrance of Joy, or memorial contributions can be made in her name to American Macular Degeneration Foundation, https://www.macular.org.